Improved apparatus for working and stoppering chain cables



NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. HARFIELD, on LONDON, ENGLAND.

IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR WORKING AND STOPPERING CHAIN CABLES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 36,0S6, dated August 5, 1862.

' View; Fig. 4, a section in the line x x of Fig.

2; Fig. 5, a section in the line yy of Fig. 2, and Fig. 6 a section in the linezz of Fig. 2.

In the apparatus which I desire to secure by the present patent I employ a windlass, which is supplied with two or more annularly-recessed and radially-flanged chain-carriers, C, the said carriers being in principle and construction substantially like the Well-known chain-carrier which was patented by Thomas Brown in Great Britain the 20th of April, 1847, and in the United States the 25th of July, 1854, and which I shall hereinafter designate as the Thomas Brown7 chain-carrier.

A capstan, V, and its shaft U also form a part of my said chain-working apparatus, the shaft of -said capstan being connected to the shaft ofthe windlass by mounting a Thomas Brown chain-carrier, C or T, upon each of said shafts, and then connecting the said chain-carriers with each other by means of an endless chain, in the manner represented in the accompanying drawings.

The journals, near to each end of the windlass-shaft F, are received into journal-boxes that are secured to the supporters E E, while the central journal of said shaft is received into a box that is secured to the supporter H, the said supporters being all rigidly secured to the main deck of a vessel. vOn one side of its central supporter, H, a strong ratchetwheel, D, is rigidly secured upon the windlass-shaft F, and on the opposite side of the said central supporter, H, a Thomas Brown chain-carrier, C', is rigidly secured upon the said wiudlass shaft. Between the ratchetwheel D andthe supporter E of that end of the windlass-shafta Thomas Brown chain-carrier, C, is placed loosely upon the said shaft, and between the rigidly-secured chain-carrier C and the supporter E of the opposite end of the windlass-shaft another Thomas Brown chain-carrier, G, is rplaced loosely upon said shaft.

A rectangular bar, g, the body of which is received into a radial groove inthe outer face ofthe ratchet-wheel D, is so proportioned that it can be vibrated freely upon a joint-pin at the inner end of the same. A series of radial grooves of a width and depth corresponding with that of the aforesaid groove that receives the bar g are also formed in the face of the chain-carrier O, which bears against the face of the ratchet-wheel D. A rectangular bar, g, is also let into and combined-with the outer face of the rigidly-secured chain-carrier C',

Aand radial grooves are also formed in the face of the loose chain-carri er C, which bears against the face of the said rigidly-secured chain-carrier C. Now, as the aforesaid bars g gcau be thrown outward into the radial grooves in the chain-carriers C C when they are brought opposite to said grooves, it will be perceived that the said chain-carriers can be coupled with or uncoupled from the windlass-shaft by simply changing the positions of the said bars or catches g g.

The ratchet wheel D is constantly acted upon by one, two, or more counterbalancepawls, ccWhIch are pivoted between the supporters M, that are strongly secured to the deck of a vessel immediately beneath the said ratchet-wheel, and consequently, when the chain-carriers C C are coupled to the windlassshaft F they serve as chain-holders as well as carriers.

The capstan V will be placed upon the upper deck of large vessels, and its shaft U` will descend to the main deck of the saine, as shown in the drawings.

The advantages on the score of simplicity, strength, safety, and durability which result from the connection of a vertical shaft with a horizontal shaft by means of the aforesaid employment of the Thomas Brown chain-carriers and an endless chain over any possible arrangement of toothed gearing-wheels for accomplishing the same object, and especially when the said shafts are placed upon an unstable structure, 'are so palpable that it is not necessary to more particularly point them out.

\ A clearer must be employed in connection with the Thomas Brown chain-carrier for the purpose of lifting the chain out ofthe flanged annular recess of said carrier. In the construction of this my improved chain-carrying windlass the said clearing function is performedv by the tapering ends of the curved conducting-troughs J,which rest upon the barrels of the chain-carriers G C', While the outer ends of said troughs are fitted to and securely combined with the lower portions of the borders of apertures in the end supporters, E, of the windlass-shaft. Consequently this arrangement enables a chain to be taken from either haWse-hole directly. to and beneath its appropriate chain-carrier, Aand then to be carried over the rear side of the same toand into the clearing and conveying trough J, which will pass the chain on through the aperture in the aforesaid supporter E to the deck of the vessel, and at a point which may be in near proximity to the opening in the deck leading to one of the chain-lockers. 4

The bringing of the lifting strain to the under side of the chain-carrier instead of to the upper side of the same, as is the case With all other descriptions of windlasses, greatly reduces the strain upon the j ournal-supporters of my improved windlas's,while it also enables the chain to be more easily lifted out of the radially-iianged groove of the same and conducted to the openings to the chain-lockers; and furthermore the said arrangement also enables the Thomas Brown underlifting chainstoppers to be used inconnection with myimproved chain-carrying windlass.

Suitable pulley-heads, Gr G, may be placed upon the ends of the windlass-shaft, for the purpose of enabling the windlass to operate upon ropesv and cordage.

A cylindricalflange which projeetslaterally from the periphery of each chainrarrier G receives the strap-brake e, whose extremities are pivoted to the operating-lever f, as showmFig. 5, the said'strap and lever-brakes serving the function of retarding the motion of the chaincarriers when they are uncoupled from the windlass-shaft and are put in motion by the out- Ward movement of the chain during the oper-v ation of casting anchor.

In the construction of my improved chaincarrying windlass I do not intend to specially restrict myself to the use of the Thomas Brown chain-carrier, but shall employ 4in the said arrangement either the Hariield improvement on the said chain-carrier or any other chaincarrier which may act upon substantially the same principle.

Having thus fully described my improved chaincarrying windlass, what I claim therein as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. Communicating motion from a capstanshaft to a windlass-shaft through the medium of two Thomas Brown chain-carriers,C and T,

that are respectively mounted upon the said shafts, and the endless chain which connects the said chain-carriers with each other, all substantially as herein set forth.

2. When motion is communicated from a capstan-shaft to a windlasslshaft in the within described manner, the arranging of the other parts of. my improved chaincarrying apparatusin such a manner that one of the chaincarriers C can be coupled with or uncoupled from the ratchet-Wheel D at the same time that the other chain-carrier C can be coupled with or uncoupled from the chain-carrier C, all substantially as herein set forth. i

` 3. When motion is communicated from a capstamshaft to a windlassshaft in the withindescribed manner, and when the chaincarriers G C are so arranged that they can be coupled with or uncoupled from the windlassshaft at pleasure, the combining of the strap and lever'brakes ef with vthe said chain-carriers, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

4. When motion is communicated from a capstan-shaft to a windlass-shaft in the withindescribed manner, combining the curved and pointed clearing and conveying troughs J with the chain-carriers C C and the windlass supporters E, substantially in the manner herein set forth. y

5. When motion'is communicated from the capstan-shaft to the lwindlass f shaft in the Within-described manner,arranging the ratchet-Wheel D and the counterpoisepawls c c in such a manner with relation to the other parts of the apparatus that a reverse movement of the windlasss will be unerringly prevented by means ofthe constant action of two or more of the said pawls upon the teeth on the under side of the said ratchet-wheel, substantially as herein set forth.

The abovespeciiication of my improved apparatus for working chain cables signed this 2d day of May, 1862.

w. H. HARFIELD..

In presence of-.

WILL. Dunn,

Notary Public. G. D. DUFF,

.Notary Public, 5 Nicholas Lome, London. 

